Room 222
Encyclopedia
Room 222 is an American
comedy-drama
television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television
. The series aired on ABC
from September 17, 1969, to January 11, 1974, for 112 episodes. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 9:00 PM (EST
) for its first two seasons before settling into its best-known time slot of Friday evenings at 9:00 PM, following The Brady Bunch
and The Partridge Family
and preceding The Odd Couple
and Love, American Style
.
In 1970, Room 222 earned Emmy Award
s in three categories: Outstanding New Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Michael Constantine
), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Karen Valentine
).
High School in Los Angeles
, California
, although it also depicted other events at the school. Located in Room 222, the class was taught by Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes
), an idealistic African-American
schoolteacher. Other characters featured in the show were the school's compassionate guidance counselor, Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas
), who was also Pete's girlfriend; the dryly humorous school principal, Seymour Kaufman (Michael Constantine
); and the petite and enthusiastic Alice Johnson (Karen Valentine
), a student teacher
. Also shown was Patsy Garrett
as Mr. Kaufman's secretary, Miss Hogarth. In addition, many recurring students were featured from episode to episode.
Pete Dixon delivered gentle lessons to his students in tolerance and understanding. Students admired his wisdom, insight and easygoing manner. The themes of the episodes were sometimes topical, reflecting the current political climate (the late 1960s and early to mid-1970s such as the Vietnam War
, women's rights
, race relations and Watergate). However, most plots were timeless and featured themes common to teenagers of any era. For example, the 1974 episode entitled "I Didn't Raise My Girl to Be a Soldier?" deals with parent-teenager issues and gender role issues.
The show featured many actors who went on to become major stars, such as Bruno Kirby
, Bernie Kopell
, Cindy Williams
, Teri Garr
, Jamie Farr
, Rob Reiner
, Anthony Geary
, Richard Dreyfuss
, Chuck Norris
, Kurt Russell
, and Mark Hamill
. Child actor
Flip Mark
made one of his last screen roles in the 1969 episode "Funny Boy".
The program was filmed at 20th Century Fox
studios. Exterior shots of Los Angeles High School
, which was damaged by an earthquake during the series' run, were shown behind the opening credits and for some outdoor scenes in the early seasons. Later exterior scenes were filmed at Los Angeles University High School.
Room 222s initial episodes garnered weak ratings
, and ABC was poised to cancel the program after one season. However, the show earned several nominations at the 1970 Emmy Award
s, and ABC relented. In the spring of 1970, Room 222 won Emmy Awards for Best New Series; Best Supporting Actor (Michael Constantine); and Best Supporting Actress (Karen Valentine). The following year, Constantine and Valentine were again nominated in the supporting acting awards category. After a shaky first season, while Room 222 never became a top ten hit, it nevertheless managed to receive respectable ratings during its first four years. (For the 1971-1972 season, it made the list of top thirty programs, placing at #28). By the start of the 1973-1974 season, the ratings had fallen drastically, and ABC canceled the show at mid-season. After the series ended, the program entered syndication
and was rerun on several television stations throughout the United States
.
The theme song was composed by film composer Jerry Goldsmith
, written in a 7/4 time signature.
has released the first two seasons of Room 222 on DVD in Region 1. Season 2
was released as a Shout! Factory select title, available exclusively through their online store.
♦ - Shout! Factory select title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
. The series aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from September 17, 1969, to January 11, 1974, for 112 episodes. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 9:00 PM (EST
Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
) for its first two seasons before settling into its best-known time slot of Friday evenings at 9:00 PM, following The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
and The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
and preceding The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple (TV series)
The Odd Couple is a television situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. It was based upon the play of the same name, which was written by Neil Simon.Felix and Oscar are two divorced men....
and Love, American Style
Love, American Style
Love, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974...
.
In 1970, Room 222 earned Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s in three categories: Outstanding New Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Michael Constantine
Michael Constantine
Michael Constantine is a Greek American actor.He is probably now best known for his portrayal of Gus Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos , in the 2002 surprise hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.Prior to that, he was well-known for his extensive TV work, especially...
), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Karen Valentine
Karen Valentine
Karen Valentine is an American actress best-known for her role as the idealistic schoolteacher "Alice Johnson" in the television series Room 222.-Early life:...
).
Cast
- Lloyd HaynesLloyd HaynesSamuel Lloyd Haynes was an African-American actor and television writer. Haynes was a member of the Bahá'í Faith.Haynes served in the Marines from 1952–1964 and during the Korean War...
- Mr. Pete Dixon - Denise NicholasDenise NicholasDenise Nicholas is an American actress and social activist who was involved in the American Civil Rights Movement...
- Miss Liz McIntyre - Michael ConstantineMichael ConstantineMichael Constantine is a Greek American actor.He is probably now best known for his portrayal of Gus Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos , in the 2002 surprise hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.Prior to that, he was well-known for his extensive TV work, especially...
- Mr. Seymour Kaufman - Karen ValentineKaren ValentineKaren Valentine is an American actress best-known for her role as the idealistic schoolteacher "Alice Johnson" in the television series Room 222.-Early life:...
- Miss Alice Johnson
Recurring cast
- Howard Rice - Richie Lane
- Heshimu - Jason Allen
- Eve McVeaghEve McVeaghEve McVeagh, born Eva Elizabeth McVeagh, was an American actress of film, television, stage, and radio. Born in Ohio, McVeagh moved to Los Angeles in 1923, where she started acting in theater in her teens. Her career spanned 52 years from her first stage role through her last stage appearance...
- Madge Morano, Mrs Cates, PTA Member - Eric LaneuvilleEric LaneuvilleEric Gerard Laneuville is an American television director, actor and martial artist. His first prominent acting roles were in the science-fiction film The Omega Man with Charlton Heston and the ABC television series Room 222 . His role as Luther Hawkins in the television series St...
- Larry - Ta-TanishaTa-TanishaTa-Tanisha is an American character actress, best known for her role as Pam on the television series Room 222, which she played from 1970 to 1972....
- Pamela - Judy StrangisJudy StrangisJudy Strangis is a Los Angeles based actress who is best known for her TV roles in Room 222 and Electra Woman and Dyna Girl.-Acting:...
- Helen Loomis - David Jolliffe - Bernie
- Pendrant Netherly - Al Crowley
- Pamela Peters - Laura
- Carol Green - Kim
- Bruno KirbyBruno KirbyBruno Kirby was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for his roles in the Hollywood films City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally..., Good Morning, Vietnam, The Godfather Part II and Donnie Brasco.-Early life:Kirby was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, Jr. in New York City,...
- Herbie Constadine - Ty Henderson - Cleon
- Hollis Irving - Miss Evans
- Patsy GarrettPatsy GarrettVirginia "Patsy" Garrett is an actress best known for her recurring roles asnosy neighbor Mrs. Florence Fowler on TV's Nanny and the Professor , school secretary Miss Hogarth on Room 222 and as Mary Gruber in the Benji series of motion pictures beginning in 1974.-Career:Active on stage, screen...
- Miss Hogarth - Carol Worthington - Miss Portnoy
- Ivor FrancisIvor FrancisIvor Francis was a Canadian actor and acting teacher. Francis began his acting career on the radio in his native Canada, but, during World War II, he served in the Royal Air Force...
- Mr. Kenneth Dragen - Helen KleebHelen KleebHelen Kleeb was an American film and television actress. In a career covering nearly fifty years, she may be best-known for her role as "Miss Mamie Baldwin" on CBS's The Waltons .In 1956-57, she guest-starred on CBS's Hey, Jeannie!, starring Jeannie Carson...
- Miss Tandy
Synopsis
The series focused on an American history class at the fictional Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
High School in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, although it also depicted other events at the school. Located in Room 222, the class was taught by Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes
Lloyd Haynes
Samuel Lloyd Haynes was an African-American actor and television writer. Haynes was a member of the Bahá'í Faith.Haynes served in the Marines from 1952–1964 and during the Korean War...
), an idealistic African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
schoolteacher. Other characters featured in the show were the school's compassionate guidance counselor, Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas
Denise Nicholas
Denise Nicholas is an American actress and social activist who was involved in the American Civil Rights Movement...
), who was also Pete's girlfriend; the dryly humorous school principal, Seymour Kaufman (Michael Constantine
Michael Constantine
Michael Constantine is a Greek American actor.He is probably now best known for his portrayal of Gus Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos , in the 2002 surprise hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.Prior to that, he was well-known for his extensive TV work, especially...
); and the petite and enthusiastic Alice Johnson (Karen Valentine
Karen Valentine
Karen Valentine is an American actress best-known for her role as the idealistic schoolteacher "Alice Johnson" in the television series Room 222.-Early life:...
), a student teacher
Student teacher
A student teacher is a college or graduate student who is teaching under the supervision of a certified teacher in order to qualify for a degree in education...
. Also shown was Patsy Garrett
Patsy Garrett
Virginia "Patsy" Garrett is an actress best known for her recurring roles asnosy neighbor Mrs. Florence Fowler on TV's Nanny and the Professor , school secretary Miss Hogarth on Room 222 and as Mary Gruber in the Benji series of motion pictures beginning in 1974.-Career:Active on stage, screen...
as Mr. Kaufman's secretary, Miss Hogarth. In addition, many recurring students were featured from episode to episode.
Pete Dixon delivered gentle lessons to his students in tolerance and understanding. Students admired his wisdom, insight and easygoing manner. The themes of the episodes were sometimes topical, reflecting the current political climate (the late 1960s and early to mid-1970s such as the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, race relations and Watergate). However, most plots were timeless and featured themes common to teenagers of any era. For example, the 1974 episode entitled "I Didn't Raise My Girl to Be a Soldier?" deals with parent-teenager issues and gender role issues.
The show featured many actors who went on to become major stars, such as Bruno Kirby
Bruno Kirby
Bruno Kirby was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for his roles in the Hollywood films City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally..., Good Morning, Vietnam, The Godfather Part II and Donnie Brasco.-Early life:Kirby was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, Jr. in New York City,...
, Bernie Kopell
Bernie Kopell
Bernard Morton "Bernie" Kopell is an American television character actor who is probably best known for his roles as Dr. Adam Bricker in The Love Boat and KAOS agent Siegfried in Get Smart...
, Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams
Cynthia Jane "Cindy" Williams is an American actress best known for starring in the television situation-comedy series Laverne & Shirley, in the role of "Shirley Feeney", and for her role as Laurie Henderson in the classic film American Graffiti.-Early life:Williams was born in Van Nuys,...
, Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
, Jamie Farr
Jamie Farr
Jamie Farr is an American television, film, and theater actor. He is best known for having played the role of cross-dressing Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger in the television sitcom M*A*S*H.-Early life:...
, Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner
Robert "Rob" Reiner is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and political activist.As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
, Anthony Geary
Anthony Geary
Anthony Geary is an American actor. He has starred on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital as Luke Spencer from 1978 to 1984 and from 1993 to present.-Life and career:...
, Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
, Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
, Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
, and Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
. Child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
Flip Mark
Flip Mark
Flip Mark is an American former child actor, active primarily from 1959-1969....
made one of his last screen roles in the 1969 episode "Funny Boy".
The program was filmed at 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
studios. Exterior shots of Los Angeles High School
Los Angeles High School
Los Angeles High School is the oldest public high school in the Southern California Region and in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Its colors are blue and white and the teams are called the Romans....
, which was damaged by an earthquake during the series' run, were shown behind the opening credits and for some outdoor scenes in the early seasons. Later exterior scenes were filmed at Los Angeles University High School.
Room 222s initial episodes garnered weak ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, and ABC was poised to cancel the program after one season. However, the show earned several nominations at the 1970 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s, and ABC relented. In the spring of 1970, Room 222 won Emmy Awards for Best New Series; Best Supporting Actor (Michael Constantine); and Best Supporting Actress (Karen Valentine). The following year, Constantine and Valentine were again nominated in the supporting acting awards category. After a shaky first season, while Room 222 never became a top ten hit, it nevertheless managed to receive respectable ratings during its first four years. (For the 1971-1972 season, it made the list of top thirty programs, placing at #28). By the start of the 1973-1974 season, the ratings had fallen drastically, and ABC canceled the show at mid-season. After the series ended, the program entered syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
and was rerun on several television stations throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The theme song was composed by film composer Jerry Goldsmith
Jerry Goldsmith
Jerrald King Goldsmith was an American composer and conductor most known for his work in film and television scoring....
, written in a 7/4 time signature.
DVD releases
Shout! FactoryShout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
has released the first two seasons of Room 222 on DVD in Region 1. Season 2
was released as a Shout! Factory select title, available exclusively through their online store.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Season One | 26 | March 24, 2009 |
| Season Two♦ | 26 | January 19, 2010 |
♦ - Shout! Factory select title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store